For years, reliable voice communication services have been provided over circuit-switched networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (“PSTN”). More recently, packet-switched networks capable of carrying data and voice communications have been developed. Some packet-switched networks such as the Internet or managed Internet Protocol (“IP”) networks allow IP enabled devices to send and receive IP-based voice communications between one another over the networks. IP-based voice communication services are commonly referred to as Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) services.
Traditionally, operators of communication network domains such as PSTN domains or VoIP network domains have entered into “peering agreements” with one another. Peering agreements allow communications to be “peered,” i.e., handed off, from one network domain to another, as agreed to by operators of the network domains. For example, peering agreements are commonly used to allow voice traffic to be peered between different carrier PSTN domains.
However, traditional peering arrangements are typically service and/or technology specific and consequently rather limited in scope and flexibility. This is due at least in part to limitations of standard network-to-network interface technologies. For example, a conventional peering agreement may allow voice traffic to be carried between distinct network domains using a particular voice communication technology, but implementation of another peering agreement and/or special interconnection arrangements are generally required to allow other types of services (e.g., video services) and/or communication signals and formats to be peered between the network domains. The establishment of separate peering agreements and interconnection interfaces for different services and communication technologies is expensive, time-consuming, and often subject to bureaucratic influence and delay.